Abstract
Memories are dynamic and can change when recalled. The process that returns memories to a labile state during remembering is unclear. We found that the presence of NMDA, but not AMPA, receptor antagonists in the amygdala prior to recall prevented the consolidated fear memory from returning to a labile state. These findings suggest that NMDA receptors in the amygdala are critical for transforming a memory from a fixed to a labile state.
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Acknowledgements
The authors thank N.S. Burghardt, S.A. Josselyn and P.W. Frankland for discussions and comments on the manuscript. This work was supported by grants to K.N. from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (Canada), EJLB Foundation, International Human Frontiers of Science, the Volkswagen Foundation, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Canada Foundation for Innovation, and Canadian Institutes of Health Research.
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Supplementary information
Supplementary Fig. 1
Models of the induction of plasticity. (PDF 69 kb)
Supplementary Fig. 2
Schematic representation of cannula placements of animals included in the statistical analyses. (PDF 100 kb)
Supplementary Fig. 3
Examination of drug diffusion by dye spread. (PDF 1566 kb)
Supplementary Fig. 4
Immunohistochemical analysis of PTZ-induced Fos protein levels after anisomycin infusion. (PDF 592 kb)
Supplementary Fig. 5
Autoradiographic evaluation of protein synthesis inhibition after intra-LBA anisomycin infusion, showing greater inhibition in the target area (LBA) than the adjacent Ce nucleus. (PDF 855 kb)
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Mamou, C., Gamache, K. & Nader, K. NMDA receptors are critical for unleashing consolidated auditory fear memories. Nat Neurosci 9, 1237–1239 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/nn1778
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nn1778
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